Buckeyes prevail in OT without Miller

Oct 20, 2012 - 11:37 PM
Columbus, OH (Sports Network) - Kenny Guiton took over for an injured Braxton
Miller and led Ohio State to a tying touchdown and two-point conversion with
only three seconds to play in regulation before Carlos Hyde scored in
overtime, as the seventh-ranked Buckeyes remained unbeaten with a 29-22
victory over Purdue.

Ohio State played the entire fourth quarter without Miller, who was hurt while
being dragged down at the end of a 37-yard run in the final minute of the
third. He was eventually taken to a local hospital.

The Columbus Dispatch, citing an Ohio State spokesman, reported Miller was
released from the hospital later Saturday and deemed "system free" of any
injury.

Guiton could not muster any offense for the Buckeyes until the final minute. A
penalty in the end zone gave Purdue a safety and an eight-point lead before an
interception allowed the Boilermakers a chance to run out the final 2:40 and
exit Ohio Stadium with a victory for the first time since 1988.

They left 47 seconds on the clock and the Buckeyes took advantage.

Guiton drove Ohio State 61 yards in seven plays, aided by a pass interference
penalty in the end zone on a third-down incompletion, and capped the set with
a 2-yard TD pass to Chris Fields. After the play was upheld by video review,
Guiton found tight end Jeff Heuerman for the tying two-point conversion.

Ohio State took possession first to start the overtime and a 17-yard pass from
Guiton to Jake Stoneburner set up Hyde's 1-yard touchdown run. The
Boilermakers could not answer, as Caleb TerBush's fourth-down pass into the
end zone fell harmlessly incomplete.

"That was a great, great win. Great team win," Ohio State head coach Urban
Meyer said. "Some of the efforts I saw tonight were legendary."

TerBush finished 19-of-30 for 230 yards with a pair of touchdowns and an
interception for the Boilermakers (3-4, 0-3 Big Ten), who scored touchdowns on
passes of 83 and 31 yards along with a 100-yard kickoff return. A blocked
extra point after the first touchdown eventually loomed large.

Purdue was trying for consecutive wins against Ohio State for the first time
since 1960 and '67 after pulling out a 26-23 overtime win last year in West
Lafayette.

"I'm proud of our players. They came out fired up with the will to win and
didn't let up all game. We just didn't get the result we wanted on the
scoreboard," Purdue head coach Danny Hope said.

Guiton completed 6-of-11 passes for 77 yards after Miller had struggled
against a Purdue defense that entered the contest ranked next-to-last in the
Big Ten in yards allowed. Miller was just 9-of-20 for 113 yards with an
interception and ran for 47 yards with a score on 12 carries.

Hyde finished with 91 yards on 19 carries for Ohio State (8-0, 4-0), which is
unbeaten after eight games for the first time since the 2007 squad won its
first 10.

Ohio State trailed 13-7 at the break and went ahead on its second possession
of the third quarter when Hyde capped an 80-yard drive with a 2-yard touchdown
run.

Purdue answered immediately and went back on top when Gary Bush caught a
bubble screen and took it 31 yards into the end zone. The Boilermakers then
recovered a Miller fumble at the Ohio State 37 just two plays after the
ensuing kickoff, but could not convert when Paul Griggs had a 34-yard field
goal attempt blocked.

Miller was injured on the very next play when his long run got the Buckeyes
across midfield. He remained on the ground for a time before being helped off
the field. After a few minutes on the bench, Miller was slowly moved to a cart
and taken into the locker room before being eventually taken by ambulance to
the medical center on campus.

Drew Basil, on the same series that featured Miller's run, had a 50-yard field
goal attempt hit the left upright in the first minute of the fourth quarter to
keep the difference six points.

Ohio State's next possession started at its own one after a punt and the
Boilermakers were awarded a safety for a 22-14 lead because of an illegal
block in the end zone. Guiton was then intercepted to end the next Buckeyes
series, giving the Boilermakers their unsuccessful chance to run out the
clock.

Purdue struck quickly with an 83-yard touchdown on its first offensive play
when fullback Akeem Shavers swung out of the backfield and easily beat Ohio
State linebacker Storm Klein in coverage before taking in TerBush's pass and
outsprinting the secondary to the end zone for a 6-0 lead after a blocked PAT.

Ohio State marched into Purdue territory with its opening possession, but
Miller and Hyde botched a handoff and the Boilermakers recovered the fumble.
The Buckeyes, though, quickly halted the Purdue momentum with a three-and-out
and finally answered with a 10-play scoring drive later in the first.

Hyde kept it alive with a 20-yard run on 4th-and-1 from near midfield and
Miller converted 3rd-and-10 soon after with a 17-yard pass to Corey Brown
before finishing the 67-yard series with an 8-yard scoring run. The extra
point provided Ohio State with a one-point edge, but it didn't last long.

Akeem Hunt took the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown for a 13-7 lead
after the made extra point.

Purdue's defense quickly forced a punt and the Boilermakers followed with a
drive of more than 10 minutes. The 19-play dirge finished without a score when
a tipped TerBush pass was intercepted by C.J. Barnett in the end zone.

Game Notes

Meyer's eight wins to start his Ohio State coaching career is the third-best
start in school history. Carol Widdoes went 9-0 in 1944 and won his first 12
games overall, while Earle Bruce won 11 straight to start 1979 ... Ohio State
improved to 38-14-2 all-time against Purdue and 26-5-2 in Columbus. The
Boilermakers have lost eight straight at Ohio Stadium.